“Scientific Advertising” Chapter 4: Mail Order Advertising – What It Teaches
Claude C. Hopkins’ is undoubtedly fixated on mail order advertising; and for good reason!
After working with a marketer for close to a year, and watching closely every move he’d make (I wasn’t stalking, I swear), his interest in mail order advertising was as intense as I understand now it should’ve rightly been.
Hopkins’ begins his 4th chapter describing that a good test for an advertising man is “in selling goods by mail”. Before anything else a marketer embarks on, first he must master mail order advertising.
Mail order advertising holds for itself no theories or guesswork; it is based on real stats and figures because its costs and results are apparent immediately. The marketer is quickly able to see immediately if his campaigns are producing profits and efficiencies.
Mastering mail order advertising means experiencing advertising on a scientific basis – every wasted dollar adds to the costs of results.
Hopkins’ example: “A man was selling a five-dollar article. The replies from his ad cost him 85 cents. Another man submitted an ad, which he thought better. The replies cost $14.20 each. Another man submitted an ad, which for two years brought replies at an average of 41 cents each.”
The man that cost the costs down to 41 cents is going to be much more profitable after sending out 250,000 pieces. THIS is real value. Imagine each piece costing $14.20 – it would get expensive and it would get expensive pretty fast. However, many marketers do this. They apply guesswork rather than hard evidence.
Mail order advertising teaches marketers how to apply real methods to campaigns – not just theories.
Second Part- Layout of Advertisement
“Mail order advertising is always set in small print”, Hopkins’ writes. Larger type does not pay because “The more you tell the more you sell”. (Oh, how I love this motto and am very happy to have found its source! Next time you use “The more you tell the more you sell”, reference Claude C. Hopkins).
“In mail order advertising there is no waste of space. Every line is utilised. Borders are rarely used. Remember that when you are tempted to leave valuable space unoccupied.”
Just like with any good ad copy, the point is to be simple and concise. There shouldn’t be any entertainment value that covers up your intent – to translate real value to your prospect. So Hopkins’ writes: “There is no boasting, save of super-service. There is no useless talk. There is no attempt at entertainment. There is nothing to amuse.”
Always include in your mail order advertisement some sort of coupon that will entice your prospect to move to action. A coupon exists so that it cuts out unnecessary step – eliminate hassle and time-spending for your the prospects. They will not buy if the process is long and inefficient. Act on behalf of your prospect – make his their life easier.
Hopkins’ writes on the coupon: “The mail order advertisers knows that waste from tests, and he does not propose to accept it. So he inserts that reminder to be cut out, and it turns up when the reader is ready to act.”
Third part – Pictures in advertisements
“In mail order advertising the pictures are always to the point. They are salesmen in themselves. They earn the space they occupy.” He goes on to say, “The size is gauged by their importance. The picture of a dress one is trying to sell may occupy much space. Less important things get smaller spaces.”
Remember – mail order advertising should be as efficient as possible – every corner of the letter should be properly utilized. Don’t waste space. Use smaller print and only pictures that are effective and to the point. The less important they are, the smaller they should be.
Notice how Hopinks’ thinks: “Sometimes the advertiser uses small ads, sometimes-large ads. None are too small to tell a reasonable story. But an ad twice larger brings twice the returns. A four-times-larger ad brings four times the returns, and usually some in addition.”
Efficiency in everything is the key: “Every feature, every word and picture teaches advertising at its best. You may not like them. You may say they are unattractive, crowded, and hard to read – anything you will. But the test of results has proved those ads the best salesman those lines have yet discovered. And they certainly pay.”
There is no apology in turning away from these methods – they are tried and true. Any deviation from these principles will bring to the advertiser inefficiencies and ineffective ads.
Mail order advertising is the most fundamental approach to marketing. Account for each piece of information in terms of its monetary value and eliminate all guesswork out of marketing campaigns.
Next chapter – Headlines
Cheers!
Anna @ Toronto
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